expensive diagnostics

[murdock]

my daughters mut gets sick...

so the mut is rushed off to the emergency vet...but heres where the fun starts

firstly we are told to pay R1000..now 10 years ago i would have told the vet to put the animal to sleep or taken it home shot it in th head and buried it in the garden( just not let the kid see you doing it)...this is why i said i am becoming a real softy.

we are told that the she might have had a stroke...okay

they run a whole lot of tests...then we are told that it must have been poisoned...okay so they gave it tablets for poison...and had to stay over night.

we pick up the mut in the morning...and take it to our regualar vet...who then has a look at the mut takes x-rays and tells us that it has something in its stomach and he neads to operate asap...another R4000 plus medication and a couple nights at the vet...no problem...do what you have to do...so they cut and look....ooops there is nothing the stomach...so in total it has cost five and half grand and the mut is recovering well.

which brings me to my next question...how much money is wasted incorrect diagnostics...thosands...hundreds of thousands...millions...billions...is anyone counting...i suppose not.

if i take into consideration my daughters little ooops they made....i have personally blown almost R100 000 in incorrect diagnostics to date....and been sued for it because i refused to pay the quack because not only did he almost kill my daughter but i have no claim against him and i am suposse to be gratefull that he TRIED...one month in ICU to be told that she would die in a couple of days and i should prepare myself...after being advised by the sister to get a second opinion...changed doctors and she was out of ICU in 3 days once the new doctor took over...now this little ooops only R5500 so far but it the principal...whats wrong with this picture...am i out of line here and should we just be grateful..when they make mistakes and aprieciate the fact that they are taking the time to look your kid or mut

[Newretailer]

It has always fascinated me how the medical/vetinary profession can get away with being paid large sums of money for not doing a good job. If I call in a plumber and he makes a mess, I would expect him to come and fix it without further payment. Yet somehow, the above can happen and we just have to pay? I think you are totally in line with questioning it.

Why not ask the vet why you have to pay for an unnecessary op?

[twinscythe12332]

I'm in agreement. You are perfectly justified in asking them why they ran a whole bunch of tests, came to a conclusion and still got it wrong...
Do you know why they get paid so much? it's for when (not if) they get a lawsuit.

[AmithS]

I spent close to R15 000 last year on my 3 dogs.

When the last 1 got sick again my dad went to the farmers corp (as we knew what was wrong from previous R15K worth of diagnostics ) told hem the problem bought an injection from them for R50 - R100. we injected the dog that night and a few days later fit as a fiddle.

Saved R5000...

[murdock]

the mut is apparently recovering but will need to spend a nother night "under observation"...so we will only know its fate tomorrow he needs to...we were told there was something else that needed repairs so it wasnt a total waste and without the operation it wouldnt have survived...

no comment.

[AndyD]

I think the problem with diagnostic tests is that they often prove what the problem isn't rather than what it is, hence multiple tests are required and even then there's no certainty the diagnosis is correct. I agree though that vets are way overpriced for many things and there's a general lack of accountability and recourse for the customer when they do a sub-standard job.

[murdock]

i suppose the way we have to look at is...the mut is recovering which is all that really counts at the end of the day...whats 5 - 10 - 100 000 rand...just figues...at least it keeps the economy going and supports the up market housing and expensive vehicle trade...shame what would all those rep who sell expensive cars and houses do if it wasnt for doctors and politicians...so at least they are creating employment...so good comes of it.

[Perform Computers]

lol @ "the mut"

[twinscythe12332]

shame what would all those rep who sell expensive cars and houses do if it wasnt for doctors and politicians...so at least they are creating employment...so good comes of it.

I wish that "good" would be heading our way though =P